Mathematical Modeling in Secondary School Mathematics

Catalog description

Students work from teaching and curricular perspective to explore and apply school and undergraduate mathematics to model real-world phenomena. MTHED 432 Mathematical Modeling in Secondary School Mathematics (3) Given the attention to mathematical modeling and applications in secondary school mathematics, prospective teachers need to be able to recognize situations that allow secondary school students to use relevant mathematics to apply mathematics and to model real-world phenomena as a means to learn about various mathematical topics. This course provides experiences in generating, interpreting, and evaluating geometric, discrete, stochastic, and function models. The course also helps prospective teachers develop an understanding of how mathematical modeling arises in school mathematics and how students learn mathematics through modeling.Intended as an elective for students in Secondary Education/Mathematics Education, the course helps students both to enrich and apply the pedagogical ideas and technology uses from their methods courses and to connect their collegiate mathematics experiences to school curricula. Class activities involve use of physical manipulatives and mathematics technology (e.g., spreadsheets, geometry construction environments, and graphing calculators), as appropriate.Students in this course would be expected to complete a major modeling project and paper in addition to weekly assignments, exams, quizzes, and written reflections of classroom participation. Course grades depend on students' performance on all of these measures.